The NFL has a strict “no guns” policy. In stadiums, locker rooms, and commercials. So, um, duh, Daniel Defense’s “Protect your nation, protect your home” submission for a Super Bowl spot was rejected by the league. (Shrewed marketing tactic, because now we’re talking about the company on the internet. Good job!) What do you think? Does this go too far? Is the commercial implicitly selling guns?

Here’s conservative news outlet The National Review’s take on the matter (via Guns & Ammo). SPOILER ALERT: They’d both give it the green light.

Guns & Ammo reports that Fox said the commercial violates the NFL’s prohibited advertising categories since advertisements for “firearms, ammunition or other weapons” are not allowed. But Guns and & Ammo notes that Daniel Defense meets the requirements to be exempted from the NFL’s policy on guns because it does not feature a gun (the company offered to replace the image of a gun in its logo with the image of the American flag). Additionally, Daniel Defense’s store sells products other than guns, which would qualify it for another one of the league’s exemptions.

Ya, and strip clubs serve lunch — but they ain’t considered restaurants. It doesn’t matter what your logo is or what you don’t picture in your commercial — this ad is explicitly selling guns, which were responsible for 19,392 deaths in 2010. Also, Daniel Defense (unlike other gun seller, like, say, Walmart) describes itself on Google like this: “Offers a range of AR15 parts and accessories like slings and uppers.”